🇫🇲Aren PalikMicronesia (Federated States of) · UNGA 81 speech

Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, it is a distinct honor to stand in this historic hall where so many great leaders have stood before. to deliver my country's statement to the world. On behalf of Micronesia, I extend my warmest national greetings of Kamorale. Let me begin by congratulating you, Mr. President, on your election as President of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. I also extend Micronesia's appreciation to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for your dedicated and steadfast service, principled leadership, and personal commitment to the values of the United Nations. As you conclude your tenure, we honor your advocacy for the most vulnerable and your tireless efforts in strengthening multilateralism. Micronesia stands in solidarity with all nations that have endured the recent waves of natural disasters around the world. The loss of lives, displacements, and destructions remind us of our common vulnerability. We extend our deepest condolences to the governments and peoples affected, and we honor the courage of those who chose to help in the face of tragedy. Mr. President and Excellencies, the theme of this session, and I quote, "Restoring trust, managing transformation, a United Nations that delivers for all." It speaks directly to our realities of our small islands in Micronesia. We need the benefits of digital innovation, artificial intelligence, energy transition, and institutional reforms. At the same time, we recognize the continuing and growing challenges of climate change, ocean degradation, pollution, and growing inequality. Mr. President and Excellencies, today's security landscape is not only by conflict, but by climate-driven fragility. Extreme weather events, sea level rise, and resource degradation are eroding stability across vulnerable regions, especially the Pacific. These pressures intensify humanitarian needs, disrupt food and water systems, and strain governments' capacities. For Micronesia, climate impact are a national concern. We underscore the importance of safeguarding maritime security across the Blue Pacific. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing activities, transnational crimes, and environmental degradation threaten not only our economies, but the health of our marine environment as well. We urge the international community to enhance cooperation, share technology, and support capacity building to ensure that the ocean remains a zone of peace governed by international law. Mr. President and Excellencies, The challenges that impede our sustainable development are increasing. We must respond by implementing science-based emission reductions, scale up national climate commitments, and accelerate transition to renewable energy. We demand accessible and predictable adaptation grant financing to support investments in resilient infrastructure. We must operationalize the loss and damage fund. And further, we must keep the 1.5 degrees Celsius goal and sustain methane reduction. This is not a substitute for long-term decarbonization, but can slow near-term warming, protect vulnerability, vulnerable communities and oceans, and preserve critical time for those on the front lines of the climate crisis. Micronesia endorses the proposed fossil fuel nonproliferation treaty. A just and orderly transition away from fossil fuel is now inseparable from the wider geopolitical and economic realities shaping global energy markets. Instability in the Middle East and volatile fuel prices are the vulnerability of small island developing states to expensive fuel, unstable supply, a widespread economic fragility. Shift to renewable energy is an economic necessity. Solar, wind, and ocean-based technologies can reduce dependence on external fuel markets, strengthen energy security, and lower emission in line with science. The world must accelerate the transition to resilient, affordable, and community-centered renewable energy system. Mr. President, our people are the most important and most valuable national resource. We remain committed to delivering effective public services and advancing Micronesia priorities for our citizens, wherever they reside. I am pleased to announce the adoption of Micronesia's National Migration Policy with the technical support of the International Organization for Migration. Micronesia will strengthen the protection, engagement, and well-being of its citizens, including members of diaspora. Micronesia also aligns itself with the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration and welcomes its comprehensive framework for promoting humane, orderly, and well-managed international migration. Mr. President and Excellencies, our people's health has been increasingly affected by more frequent tropical storms, heat waves, and changing tidal patterns. We are seeing a rise in illnesses linked to marine life and vector-borne diseases, in particular dengue and Zika. Already, the burden of non-communicable disease strains our health system, reduces workforce productivity, and diverts limited resources. We are strengthening our national health capacity, increasing investment in diagnostic and life-saving medicine, expanding the use of telehealth to access specialist care, and medical education, and partnering with neighboring countries to support regular medical exchange programs that augment our treatment capability in country. These efforts are essential to safeguard our communities as climate impacts intensify. Mr. President, the ocean is the heart of Micronesian identity. livelihood, and future prosperity. It faces mounting pressure from climate change, sea level rise, pollution, and unsustainable exploitation. Micronesia calls for a collective effort to fortify ocean governance, sustainable fishing management, and effective conservation of marine biodiversity. Being the first country to sign the BBNJ agreement, we are among the first movers comprising six nations to implement the BBNJ. Micronesia is partnering with GIZ and five co-leading states to develop sea-based management tools and marine protected area proposals under the BBNJ framework, translating our commitment to conserve 30% of our ocean into concrete, durable protection for areas beyond national jurisdiction. Mr. President, on deep sea mining in the international seabed area, Micronesia employs a precautionary approach. We stress the need to consolidate comprehensive knowledge, data, and science about the marine environment before any decision is taken on proceeding with exploitation. Additionally, it is crucial that all stakeholders, including Acheson coastal states, indigenous people and local communities in the Pacific are meaningfully consulted prior to such a decision. Mr. President, We must address the growing threat of plastic pollution that degrades the Pacific ecosystem and communities. Marine debris, microplastics, and associated toxic substances are accumulating on our shores. Our lagoons, for example, in the state of Chuuk, where oil leaks from World War II remnants led to the emergency declaration last year, continue to threaten our livelihood. This impact imposed disproportionate cleanup and economic burdens on small island governments whose waste management infrastructure is inadequate. Our national efforts must be matched by strengthened international cooperation, including technical assistance, predictable finance, and collective actions across the plastic life cycle to prevent pollution at its source and protect the blue Pacific for present and future generations. Micronesia calls on the international community to match local action with global responsibility through sustained funding, meaningful technology transfer, stricter upstream control on plastic production, and an end to waste exporting. Critically, the international community must complete its work on a new treaty to end plastic pollution, including the marine environment. Mr. President and Excellencies, with less than five years to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, The international community must respond with renewed political resolve, scaled up financing, and accelerated implementation. The Pacific's experience underscores this imperative. Climate impacts are steadily eroding development gains and placing progress across the goals further at risks. The recent typhoon and severe flooding in our states and more frequent king tides affecting our low-lying islands demonstrate that these are no longer isolated events but recurring pressures that test the recipients of our communities on the frontline of climate crisis. For us, achieving the SDGs require accelerated action. Mister President and excellencies, Our actions on gender equality continues to address barriers to women's leadership, economic participation, and access to justice, digital safety, and protection from violence, particularly for women and girls in remote and outer island communities. We are mainstreaming gender across state and national planning, strengthening survivor centered services, expanding women's economic empowerment, and decision making and engaging in preventing gender-based violence and advancing equality. Mr. President, on youth, I'd like to say that our youth are taking active roles in community advocacy, climate stewardship, adaptation and mitigation activities, and services across our nation. Building on these achievements, our priorities are clear. Strengthening youth voices in decision making, expanding skills training and pathways to decent work, supporting youth-led climate and community action, addressing substance abuse and mental health, and ensuring that young people have the opportunity to lead to serve, and to build a future for themselves and their nation. Mr. President, we must implement the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index, MVI, into a modern, coherent, and responsive system that moves decisively from concept to practice. Doing so would unlock fair access to concessional financing that reflect structural vulnerabilities faced by small, fragile, and highly exposed economies, such as the small island states. Micronesia reaffirms its strong commitment to the progress of UNAD reform initiatives. In addressing the UN country team reconfiguration, we firmly believe that both the multi-country office and the resident coordinator system must remain securely in place. Our distinct geographical landscape features incredibly remote communities. This reality is precisely why the UN aid reform initiatives matter so deeply to Micronesia. For countries defined by distance, dispersion, and vulnerability, Reform cannot be an abstract exercise. It must strengthen the UN's ability to deliver where the needs are greatest. Our priority is to create a UN architecture that preserves what works, fixes what does not work, and ensure that no community, no matter how remote and how small, is left behind. Mr. President, in its reform programs, Micronesia supports an expanded council that includes Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan as permanent members, alongside permanent representatives for Africa and a dedicated non-permanent seat for small island developing states. SIDS. This ensures that the most affected by global decisions are finally present at the table. Mr. President, digital transformation and artificial intelligence offer significant opportunities to improve public service delivery, diversify economies, expand markets, access, and advance climate-resilient development. As we are advancing digital connectivity, private sector development, and trade opportunities, without adequate investment, capacity building, and appropriate governance, these technologies may increase inequalities and further heighten exposure to cybersecurity threats, information, misinformation, and risk to data privacy. We therefore call upon international community to strengthen resilience, resilient technical and digital infrastructure with ethical and effective cart rails and governance framework. Mr. President and excellencies, in closing, the priorities before us mentioned earlier are interconnected tests or whether the United Nations can deliver for all. For Micronesia, success must be measured not by declarations, but by tangible improvements in our people's lives, security, and dignity. We call for equitable partnership with small island developing states through accessible finance, technology transfer, strong capacity, and a meaningful voice in global decision. In the spirit of camaraderie, let us choose cooperation over division and build a peaceful, just, and sustainable future in which every nation can thrive. I thank you.